Biopsies
With EDS, patients often have systemic reactions to micro-traumas that usually would not occur in other people. For example, in Utah, I had five skin biopsies (four on my left leg and one on my neck) to test for small fiber neuropathy.
Essentially, the doctor took pea-sized chunks of my skin and put them in separate test tubes to be sent to a lab and examined. The process was fairly easy and painless, but a few hours later, it triggered muscle spasms, nerve pain, and leg weakness.
It even became difficult to walk for three days after this procedure and I returned to the wheelchair a bit for a couple of days. Gratefully, the flare of pain decreased each day. It’s not anyone’s fault nor a major concern; it’s just shocking that a few little skin punches could trigger so many issues.
Many have sensitive or weakened systems where micro-traumas or viruses cause extreme symptoms and cascading effects. When this happened in the past to me, I used to feel self-conscious, over-dramatic, like something was wrong with the way I was internalizing it. Now, I know that this is not the case.
